Friend Like Me
by Kammie Celeek
Summary: Based off Disney's Aladdin. Dipper was a poor boy on the streets of Gravity Falls until he met the disguised runaway Princess Pacifica. He was arrested by the palace guards and asked by a mysterious old man to retrieve a magic lamp. Inside the lamp was a genie, who was about to turn everything the boy knew upside down and give him a chance at a whole new world...


**I wrote this story a long time ago, back when I was still in high school and **_**Gravity Falls**_** was still airing. To this day, it is the only story in my notebooks that I am really and truly proud of (other than another that I might post if I ever find the inspiration to finish it) and I hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

A dark night in the desert, the full moon rising over the sands. On top of a dune, a dark-clad man waited alone. He appeared frustrated at something while he glared at a fancy pocket-watch. Finally, the sound of hoofbeats approached and a much larger man rode up to him.

"There you are," the dark-clad man snapped. "This is very unbecomin', Bud."

"I know, sir. But I made it. And I didn't expect King Preston's right-hand man to be here himself, Gideon."

"Gimme the thing!"

Bud dug into his pocket and pulled out half of an elaborately-decorated eye set on a triangle.

"Had to slit a throat to get it, but…"

Gideon didn't wait to hear the rest and snatched the half from Stan. From within his cloak, he pulled out the other half and carefully brought the two together. It formed a complete triangle with an eye, which rose into the air and took off across the desert sky. Bud and Gideon rode like mad after it. Before long, it landed on the sands of a dune, splitting back in half as it began to rise in the form of a massive bear head. Both men stared in complete and utter awe as it opened its mouth and began to speak in a voice utterly unlike anything they'd ever heard.

_**"Who disturbs my slumber?"**_ it growled.

"Go!" Gideon urged Bud. "Remember—all the treasure is yers. But ya have ta bring me the lamp!"

"I'm goin', sir!"

Cautiously, the older man approached the mouth of the cave.

_**"Who are you?"**_

"M-my name is B-Bud Gleeful."

_**"Be warned, Bud Gleeful—the Cave of Wonders may only be entered by a diamond in the rough!"**_

Bud took a deep breath and took a single step into the cave. Nothing happened, making him feel relieved. Confident that he'd be able to get down to the lamp, he took a second step—

—and the cave collapsed on top of him.

Gideon watched in disappointment as the halves of the eye slid down through the sand, leaving him very displeased. Obviously he hadn't found the right man for the job like he'd originally thought. He collected the halves and put one in each pocket of his cloak before turning his horse around to travel back to Gravity Falls.

"Bud, you were too easily categorized. I need someone else. I need ta find the diamond in the rough. But who could it be? And where could I possibly find him?"

* * *

"All right, Schmeb. You ready?"

"Schmebulock!"

"And… _go_!"

At the fruit-seller's stall, a burly man named Ghost-Eyes was busily talking to customers as a gnome was lowered using a small rope. The gnome grabbed a melon.

"SCHMEBULOCK!" he yelled.

"You little—!" the man snapped, reaching for the gnome. It got everyone's attention as a boy with brown hair wearing a vest grabbed some bread from the baker's stall. The gnome set the melon back down and untied the rope, running after the boy.

"GUARDS!" called Ghost-Eyes.

"Crap…" hissed the brown-haired boy as several guards burst onto the scene.

"Dammit, kid, _again_?" groaned Blubs, the captain of the guard.

"_Git 'im!_" cheered Tyler, a young man who liked to see the fights that broke out in town.

Dipper (our hero and the brown-haired thief) took off across the market. The gnome was right on his tail as they ran, ducking through alleys and around shoppers to escape the guards.

"Starting trouble early today, huh?" Wendy asked as he hid behind a barrel near her.

"Nah, you're only in trouble if you get caught—"

"GOTCHA!" Durland cheered, grabbing Dipper by the front of his vest.

"And I'm in trouble!"

"SCHMEBULOCK!" The little gnome bit Robbie's arm, forcing the black-haired man to drop the boy.

"AGH! DAMMIT!"

"Good job, Schmeb!"

Dipper and Schmebulock's path led them up to the rooftops, where they were cornered and only had one choice of where to go—jump down. So they did, finally losing the guards in that one act. They landed in an alley, where Dipper laughed as he pulled out their ill-gotten gains from his vest. A loaf of bread for each of them. Schmebulock eagerly took his and Dipper smiled, moving to eat his bread before he stopped at some movement down the alley. A pair of siblings—a little boy and a little girl—were eyeing the bread with hunger in their eyes. The sister appeared slightly older.

He gripped the bread for a second, then held it out to the sister.

"Here," he said. "Take it. You need it more than I do."

"Th-thank you, sir," she whispered, accepting the gift. Schmebulock glared, then made a big show of eating a bite out of the bread. He sighed and broke it in half, handing the half without a bite to the little boy. The boy giggled, patting Schmebulock on the head.

Suddenly, loud trumpets sounded in the street.

The four in the alley went to the end, where a procession was going by. At the head of the procession was a young man with long blonde hair and blue eyes riding a fine white horse. Dipper spotted Candy and Grenda and made his way over to them, standing by his sister's oldest friends.

"Who's the jerk?" he asked.

"Prince Gabe," Candy replied. "Another suitor for Princess Pacifica."

"That makes ten in the last year," Grenda added.

Before anything else could happen, the little boy who'd received bread earlier ran out into the street, chasing after a bird. He ran right into the horse's path and his sister dashed out after him, grabbing her brother and shielding him as Prince Gabe's horse reared up and the royal young man raised his whip. As he brought it down however, it didn't strike the girl or her brother; it wrapped around Dipper's forearm. He glared up at the prince, who looked at him with a haughty sneer and took the whip back by jerking it up and knocking the young man into a mud puddle.

"Out of my way!" he hissed, continuing on the path.

"Hey, look at that," Dipper told Schmebulock loudly. "It's not every day you see a horse with _two_ rear ends!"

Offended, Prince Gabe turned around and rode up to Dipper.

"Insolent boy!" he sneered. "You were born a street rat, you live as a street rat, and you will _die_ a street rat!"

Dipper got up once everyone had left and walked towards the spot where he lived with Schmebulock. Once upon a time his sister had lived there, too, but she'd left to work in the palace and wasn't able to leave very often. He sighed as he gazed at the place from the window.

_Mabel… I wish you were here…_

* * *

Gideon checked his tie as he walked through the palace.

_I need to talk to King Preston immediately._

"GOOD LUCK FINDING SOMEBODY TO MARRY _HER_!" a voice boomed out. Prince Gabe stomped through the hall, the seat of his pants torn to reveal his white red-heart-patterned underwear.

"Please, Gabe, reconsider!" begged Preston, rushing after the blonde.

"I don't care how beautiful your daughter is! She's not worth it and you'll never find anyone to tie the knot with a woman like that!"

The door slammed and Preston sighed, heading back out to the gardens with Gideon following him. There, Pacifica—dressed in a pale purple gown and a crown that had a ruby set in the middle—sat on the edge of the fountain, humming as she trailed one foot in the water. Her personal maid—a girl named Mabel dressed in a gray dress—was braiding the princess's hair. Nearby sat the Multibear, a massive bear with multiple heads that also happened to be Pacifica's pet. In one of his mouths, there was the cloth from Gabe's pants and Preston groaned.

"I didn't like him, Father," she told the king.

"It doesn't matter whether you liked him or not!" Preston snapped. "He was our last chance! You've rejected every suitor who you could possibly marry!"

"Because what if I don't _want_ to get married?" Mabel tied off Pacifica's braid and curtsied, excusing herself from the gardens.

"Pacifica, the law states that you must be married by your next birthday and that you…"

"…must be married to a prince," Pacifica finished in unison with her father as she stood up and walked over to the aviary.

"Don't you understand? The future of our family is at stake, all because _you_ refuse to find a good match. I want to see you find a husband that can bring glory to the kingdom!"

"And _I _want to marry for love." She held a little bird from the aviary in her hands. "Don't you understand, Father? I've never even been outside the palace."

"Keep up this behavior and you never will." He took the bird from her hands and put it back within the aviary. "I don't want to hear you complain any longer!"

Pacifica glared at her father's back as he walked back inside and turned back to the aviary. With a determined look, she threw open the doors and smiled as the birds flew off into the sky, free. She wished, just for one moment, that she could join them.

"Paz?"

The princess whirled around to see her 'maid' (really, her closest friend other than her pet) standing there.

"Oh, Mabel." Pacifica smiled. "Thanks for the braid."

"No problem! Why'd you let all the birds go?"

"They deserved to be free." She thought for a moment. "Mabel, you came from outside the palace. What's it like out there?"

"I keep forgetting that you've never been outside." The brunette tapped her chin, then gasped. "How about instead of me _telling_ you, you experience it for yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Run away and have an adventure."

"How would I even get out?"

"Easy. There's a tree by the wall that's good for climbing and it'll get you out. As for your clothes, you can just borrow some of mine to hide who you are. Simple as that!"

"Thank you, Mabel. Do you really think it'll work?"

"Probably. Most of my plans do."

"I'm doing it, then."

That night, Pacifica slid on Mabel's more simple clothing—a pair of black leggings, black boots, a gray tunic, and a brown cloak. It was far better suited for climbing and running than any of the dresses the two owned. Quietly, she began to climb the tree and felt something tap her foot. It was Multi. She felt a little guilty leaving him behind.

"I have to go," she whispered. "Even if I end up back here, I'll have seen more than I've ever seen before."

He used his head to boost her up a bit, giving her the last push she needed to get to the top of the wall and over it. Pacifica landed lightly on the ground, her eyes widening at the city streets as she began to walk.

It was going to be a good night.

Inside the palace, however, Gideon was beginning to put his plan into motion. He used the power of the amulet located on his tie to use a crystal ball.

"All right, now. I need you to show me somethin'. Show me the 'diamond in the rough' who can enter the Cave of Wonders!"

The surface rippled and began to show the image of a boy—one called a 'street rat'—sitting by a window with a gnome. Gideon let out a 'hmph' and tapped it.

"I gotcha, boy…"

* * *

Dipper stretched as he walked through the street. It was safe for him; most of the guards who really patrolled the market didn't actively try to bring him in. They thought it was pointless and they'd known him long enough to know that he didn't mean any real harm. If the palace guards came out—well, then they'd have a problem. But it was all fine. His mistake the day before was stealing when Ghost-Eyes was on duty. The man hated him for some reason.

"You ready for another day?" he asked Schmebulock.

"Schmebulock!"

"Me, too."

"Hold on, little lady!" a gruff voice rang out. "How are you going to pay for that?"

"P-pay…?" a girl's voice replied. "Oh, hang on! I can get money from the king!"

Dipper came around the corner and saw Manly Dan holding a girl by the wrist.

"Really? How's a girl like you gonna get money from the king?"

"Hold on a sec!" Dipper called, running up and getting between them. "What's going on here?"

"She stole some fruit from me and claims she knows the king!" Dan snapped. He tugged on his beard in a way that told Dipper the palace guards were around.

"Oh, well, you see, this is my sister," Dipper told him with a wink. "She thinks _Schmeb_ here is the king."

The girl looked slightly offended until she seemed to realize what he was doing. She then bowed before Schmebulock, who struck a regal pose.

"She's a little… well, you know." He took the girl's hand. "C'mon, sis. It's time to go to the doctor!"

They began to walk until they were out of the market. Dipper breathed a sigh of relief as he brought her into an alley. She then turned on him, smacking him on the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Really? I'm _crazy_ and I think a _gnome_ is the king?!"

"Hey! Listen!" He grabbed her arm. "Dan would've let you go. But the problem is that there are palace guards in the area, which means that they're increasing security around here. That means no letting thieves go. Me vouching for you would've been enough otherwise."

"Wait, he _lets you_ steal from him?"

"He's known me for a long time. Anyway, c'mon. I know a place you can hide out."

She followed him silently through alleys, listening to him explain how the daily thievery usually went. He also gave her tips on where to hide should the guards chase her until they reached a ladder.

"Up here," he told her.

"Um…"

"Hey, do you trust me?" he asked.

"I… I guess I do." The blonde took his hand and followed him up the ladder. They traveled across the rooftops until they reached a rundown little rooftop tower. Dipper led her upstairs to the room where he lived with Schmebulock. There, he invited her to sit down on a cushion Mabel had embroidered herself.

_Nice girl, I guess…_

* * *

_ I recognize this threadwork. This is Mabel's._

Seeing her friend's handiwork in this lonely place made Pacifica's spirits lift a little. Mabel knew the boy who had saved her somehow and trusted him enough to have her threadwork.

"Here." The boy tossed her an apple. "My name's Dipper, by the way. What's yours?"

"I'm Paz," she replied. "Thanks for helping me out. I can't believe the guards bought that I was your sister."

"Well, my sister hasn't been in the city itself for a while. Too busy working at the palace. Speaking of which, check this out!"

Dipper moved over to a curtain and pulled it aside to reveal… a view of the palace. Inwardly, Pacifica groaned. But she simply looked at the apple as Dipper gazed out the window.

"What must it be like to live there?" he mused. "No worrying about what you're going to eat, never having to look over your shoulder for guards…"

"Oh, yes. Being told what to do, never being allowed out…"

"I bet it's nothing like out here."

"It's nothing like out here."

"Sometimes…"

"You just feel so…"

"Trapped," they finished in unison. They looked at each other and Schmebulock started giggling. Dipper's cheeks turned pink.

"So, um… where did you come from—"

Suddenly, loud noise came from the stairs. The sound of swords clanging against armor and victorious shouts of palace guards. Pacifica jumped to her feet right as the guards burst in. She recognized the leader—Robbie, a guard who was often on her personal detail and frequently got on her nerves.

"We've got you, Street Rat!" he yelled, grabbing Dipper and pinning him to the ground. Schmebulock was grabbed by Lee, another guard, and Pacifica watched in horror before latching onto Robbie's arm and trying to force him to let Dipper go.

"LET HIM GO!" she demanded.

"Oh, look, guys! A street _mouse_!" snickered Nate as Robbie knocked Pacifica back. They all started laughing and she growled before throwing back her hood to reveal her face and hair and the small tiara she'd kept in her hair just in case.

"I order you to release them this _instant_!" she snapped. The guards stared at her in horror.

"Princess Pacifica!" they gasped, bowing low to the ground and forcing Dipper and Schmebulock to do the same.

"Again, release both of them this instant!"

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness!" Robbie stated, his gaze on the ground. "My orders come from Sir Gideon. You'll have to speak to him."

"Then I will."

"Let us accompany you back to the palace," Thompson stated.

"I can walk on my own, thanks."

Her eyes met Dipper's and she saw a look of shock and confusion in his brown eyes. Immediately, guilt flooded her being but she shook it off in favor of following the guards back to the palace, where she changed into her gown and gave the simple clothes back to Mabel. She then sought after Gideon, who was humming as he paced in front of the throne room. Like nothing bad had happened. It was infuriating and she came down on him with the rage appropriate for a member of the royal family.

"Gideon!" she yelled.

"Ah, Princess Pacifica! How are ya?"

"Why did the guards arrest a peasant boy in the marketplace on _your_ orders?"

"Your Highness, that boy is a _criminal_! And criminals need to be punished!"

"If that's so, what crime did he commit?!"

"Why, kidnappin' the princess, of course!"

"He didn't kidnap me; I _ran away_!"

"Oh. Oh, dear." Gideon's face fell. "I'm afraid his sentence is already bein' carried out."

"What sentence?"

"_Death._"

She covered her mouth in horror and stumbled backwards, Mabel seeing her and catching her before she could fall down. The brunette's voice was muffled and inaudible as Pacifica's mind flashed to Dipper's fate and the feelings of guilt washed over her once again. Vaguely she registered Mabel guiding her to her room, but all she wanted to do was go to sleep and hope this was all some horrible, horrible dream. A blanket was pulled over her as she began to sob and clutched a pillow to her chest in her bed.

_I'm so sorry, Dipper…_

* * *

**So this is actually markedly different from the version I wrote in my notebook. The biggest difference is that Mabel is involved in the story, whereas in the other one she was dead. Yes, she was dead because fifteen-year-old me couldn't figure out a way to involve her that fit with the plot. But nineteen—almost twenty—year-old me could and she did.**

** Next time will come the introduction of my genie. Feel free to guess who in the comments!**

** So long and thanks for all the fish!**


End file.
